Braided sling and method of making the same



SeptQ28, 1948. D. s. ROBBINS I BRAIDED SLING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 51, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l ig. 1. fig. 2. fig; 5.

INVENTOR. ea /b :51 Ralph/ms .laglllll Sept. 28, 1948. D. s. ROBBINS BRAIDED SLING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 51, 1946 I INVENTOR. Dav/'0 Q5. Robb/I75 BY 943m #15 A ITO/WE) Patented Sept. 28, 1948 BRAIDED SLING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAlVIE David S. Robbins,

The American Steel an Hamden, Conn., assignor to (1 Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 31, 1946, SeriaLNo. 687,462

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a braided sling and method of making the same and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 592,241, filed May 5, 1945, now Patent No. 2,448,463, August 31, 1948.

It is an object of my invention to provide a braided woven rope sling made of endless units having the splices for the endless units divided between the two eyes thereof.

Another object is to provide a method of making this eight-part sling.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the positions of the ropes during the first step of the method;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the ropes of Figure l braided together;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View showing the second right lay rope being woven into the assembly of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the second left lay rope being woven int-o the assembly of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view showing the braided woven sling assembled with the splices formed in the endless units;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the splice;

Figure 7 is a view of one of the eyes with a thimble in place; and

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a pin around which one right lay and one left lay ropes are passed in the firs-t step of my method. The ropes are arranged in a V-shape with one leg of the V having a right lay rope 4 and a left lay rope 6, while the other leg has a right lay rope 8 and a left lay rope It as shown in Figure 1. The pin 2 is located at the apex of the V to hold the ropes while braiding, but it is preferable to use a thimble in place of the pin since the thimble makes a better loop than the pin. During braiding the thimble is securely held in the splicers vice. It will be understood that the showing in Figure 1 is merely schematic and the ropes will all bear against the pin 2 or the thimble. Withthe ropes in this position they are ready to be braided together. In braiding, one operator takes left lay rope 6 in his left hand and left lay rope H3 in his right hand while the other operator takes right lay rope 4 in his left hand and right lay rope 8 in his right hand. Operator #1 then passes his ropes back and forth in a vertical plane keeping rope 6 to the left-of rope H] for every reversal or vice versa, and operator #2 passes his ropes back and forth in a horizontal plane keeping rope 4 on top of rope 8 for every reversal or vice versa. This makes a four-part sling l6 having the loose ends of all the ropes located opposite the pin 2 as shown in Figure 2.

Dhe elements of the braided structure It are opened up in the body portion sufficiently to enable one end of a second right l-ay rope P2 of substantially the same length as the first right i lay rope to be woven in through the braided fourpart sling I5. In this operation, one leg of right lay rope I2 is woven on top of leg 6 of the first right lay rope'and the other leg of rope I 2 is Woven on the bottom of leg [0 of the first right lay rope. This operation is shown in Figure 3, the broken lines showing the position of right lay rope 12 before completion of the weaving operation. It has been found then when both legs are run on the top or on the bottom they will come out with a twisty loop, but by having one leg of rope l2 1 on top and the other leg on the bottom of the corresponding legs of the first lay :rope as described, it is possible to form a straight loop when splicing. A second left lay rope I4 is then woven in a similar manner into the assembly of Figure 3 with one leg of the second left lay rope on top of one leg of the first left lay rope and the other leg of the second left lay rope on the bottom of the other leg of the first left lay rope. This operation is shown in Figure 4. The ropes l2 and M are moved completely through the body portion of the sling and extend therethrough a distance sufiicient to form an eye. When the weaving is completed the open elements of the ropes are bent into a loop and the ends of each rope are double spliced to form endless units. At this time the sling is substantially completed and, as shown in Figure 5, consists of a body portion I8 and two eye portions 20 with each eye portion having two splices 22 therein, one splice being in a left lay rope and one in a right lay rope. Prior to making the double splices, the twist that is created in the ropes during the braiding and weaving operation is permitted to run out. Since the ropes travel a different distance during the braiding and weaving operations, some of the ropes will be longer than other of the ropes. Thus, after the ropes are made endless, some of the endless units have a different length than other of the endless units. If desired, a single splice may be used in place of a double splice, but a double splice is preferable since it gives higher breaking efliciency and only requires approximately two times the lay whereas the length of ,rope required for a short endless splice is about six to eight times the lay. Thus, with a short single splice it is practically impossible to have all of the splice 5 in the eye-portion -of-the sling, which. is-desirablein order to give maximum strength to the sling.

The method of making the double splice is shown in Figure 6. Insplicing the rope ends A;. and B together, a band wire 24 is fastened around the ropes A and B and the individual strands-of rope A are taken apart and spliced into the ad-- jacent portion of rope B. A secondhand-wire; 26, spaced from wire 24 toward. the 'end--.of'irope2 B, is also fastened around ropes A andiiBa The distance between the band wires 24 and 26 is kept at a minimum in order to reduce the lengthof "the splice. The end of rope B is then takenzaparti and the individual strands spliced into the adjacent portion of rope A;

After the ropes-are spliced together, the ropes in the eye portions 20 are arranged substantially parallel and. are served'together. preferably. by, means of a seven-Wirestrand 27. A.thimble .28 is inserted into. the eye-portion 20 and strips of steeli30. are welded :to the. thimble .to. prevent/it from falling-out It-will beseen that-the com-- pleted sling consistsof abody. portion. 1 8llwith an eye portion 2 UHateachend-thereof, the body portion beingformedof 'twoparts of substantially 3 parallel right 'layropes. and two parts of substantiallyl parallel left lay ropes braided together 7 and each .of the eyeportionslfl'being. formed. of two left and -two right lay ropes.

While one embodiment of my invention has been 3.? shown and. described it will be apparent that other adaptationsandmodificationsmay bemade without departing=,fromthescope of the; following. claims.

I claim: 4t

1.- Themethodlof-formingan eight=part sling from .two left lay. ropes and two right. lay ropes which comprises arranging. oneleftand oneright lay rope into a substantial lveshape with .eachleg of. the V having. one left .lay and.one:right.lay rope,.gripping. thehropeslata the apex of the. V, braiding the-ropes together, .open-inggup the. braid. sufficient to weaveoneend of. thesecondleft lay rope. againsttone .leg. of the-.lfirsttlft lay rope, weavingthe other-end.of..the-:.second.left lay rope. against the second legvof the first-left .layrope, weaving one. endofthe second. right lay rope against onelegof the first right'layrope, weaving. theother end .of .the second .rightlay rope againstthe. second leg of .the first .right lay. rope, and. splicing..the .free: ends. of each rope :together to.form.an.endless unit after weaving is.-completed.

2.v The .method of forming; an (eight-partsling from two left lay,- ropes and .two right .layropes. which comprises arranging one left-and one right lay rope intoa substantial V-shapewitheach leg. of the Vhaving oneleft lay and oneright lay-rope,.. leavingan eye at..the.:apex of theV, .g-rippingmhe 1- ropesattheapex ofthe V, braidingthecropesztor gether, opening uplthebraid sufiicient to...weave oneend of the second left lay-rope against .oneleg ofthe first left .lay rope, weaving theotherlend of theseeond-left lay ropeagainstthesecond .legpf the first left lay, rope,l.weavinglone endofthe. sec- 0nd. right lay rope. against one leg of the..first right'layrope, weavingtheother end ofjthe secondjright lay, rope againshthe second leg'of'the. fi'rst'right lay rope;'.formingu,a second eye at the end'ofthe braided ropes opposite the first'eye;

and splicing the free ends of each rope together to form an endless unit after weaving is completed.

3. The method of forming an eight-part sling from two left lay ropes and two right lay ropes which comprisesarranging one .leftand one right lay rope into a substantial V-sha-pe with each leg of the V having one left lay and one right lay rope, gripping the ropes at the apex of the V, braiding the ropes together, opening up the braid sufiicient'to weave one end of the second left lay rope on top of one leg of the first left lay rope, weaving.;the:other..end .of the second left lay rope onethebottomofthe second leg of the first left lay rope, weaving; one end of the second right lay rope on top of one leg of the first right lay rope; weavingthe'other end of the second right lay rope on the bottom of the second leg of the first right lay rope, and splicing the free ends of each rope .together'to form an endless unit after weavingis completed.

4; The method of forming. an eight-part sling. from two left lay ropes andltwo right. lay ropes.

which comprises aranging one.left andione right lay rope into a substantial V-shape withv each leg of the V having. one left 'lay andoneright lay, rope, leaving. an eye at'the apex of 'the V,grip,.- ping the ropes at th'eapex of the V, braiding the ropes together, openingnup. the braid sufficientto weave one end of the second .leftlay rope ontop of one leg of the first left lay, rope; ,weaving the other end of the second 'leftlay rope on the bot-. tom of the second legof the first left lay rope, weaving one end of the secondright lay rope .on top'of one leg of the first right lay rope; weaving. the other end of the second right lay rope on the bottom of the second leg of the first right lay rope, forming a second eye at the end of'the braided .r-opes oppositethe first'eye, and splicing the free endsof each'rope together. to form an endless-unitafter weaving is completed.

5. A sling comprisingfour endless units forming abody portion and two eye portions, two of said units being made of 'left' lay ropes and the...other two of right lay ropes, said body portion being formedof two pairs of substantially parallel right lay ropes and tWo pairs of substantially parallel left lay ropes braidedtogether, each of saideye portions being formed of two left and two right lay ropes, and a splicefor'one left lay rope and a splicefor one right lay rope located 'in each'eye portion:

6. A sling comprising. an :even numberof endless'unitsforming agbody portion and two eye portions, half of said units being made of left' lay rope and. the other halftof right lay rope, said" body portionbeing.formed'of'an equal'number of' right and left lay ropes'braided together; each of said" eye portions being formed of an equal numbenoflftandright lay ropes, and'a splice for half the' left lay ropes and a splice for half the right'lay' ropes located in each eye portion.

DAVID S. ROBBINS.

REFERENCES" CITED The followinggreferences are ofrecord inthe file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 1,475,859 Nyman Nov. 27; 1923. 1;524,'67l Nyman et a1. Feb. 3, 1925 ggllzfill Garris Jan. 3, 1939 

